


Care to dance?

by imperialblue



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: AU WHERE PADME IS STILL ALIVE PEOPLE, Angst, F/M, I couldn't sleep, IMA TRY WRITING THIS AGAIN, M/M, Slow Burn, a monster - Freeform, abuse trigger warning, bilo ren, brought to you by tumblr because i got an IDeA AND I COULDN'T LEt Go, dancesport au, i plan on continuing this, mentions of anidala, rating may go up?, this is not a drill, tw abuse mention in first chapter and beyond maybe, what have I created
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-12
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2018-07-14 13:59:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7174661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imperialblue/pseuds/imperialblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rey Kryze is a 19 years old and fresh out of the foster system. She also happens to be 3 months behind on her rent. Kylo Ren is 29 and is a renowned ballroom dance champion, like this mother and uncle before him. He also happens to have made his dancing partner leave 1 month before the championship. Her landlord isn't happy. His boss isn't happy.  In this City, anything could happen.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day One

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by this tumblr post (http://gwendy85.tumblr.com/post/145758268803). If this is a flop, I'm so sorry. I just really like the idea. It was floating in my head since I saw the post. I'm now on summer vacation, so I have time to write. Enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> update:this is the first updated chapter. As of 8/16/16 this has the chapters: prologue, old friends; displeased masters, small world, contradictions in a dance, and scavenger. I'm hoping that changing this all is a good idea. I apologize if if causes any confusion.

Kylo looked at this watch. She was late. Phasma was five minutes late for rehearsal. He shook his head. His was her second time being late this month and he couldn’t stand it. He heard the the clang of studio door on the other side. She was here finally. She burst into the room with two cups of starbucks. She usually brought the coffee, because he was always there first. He practically lived there, he breathed dance. 

 

First Order Studios was a quiet place in the morning. Later it would be busier, during the afternoon ballet classes. The classes were taught by Phasma, who was a classically trained dancer. She called her students her troopers and she was very proud of them all. Her teaching style was strict, but she communicated well enough that they had mutual respect. 

 

She tossed her gym bag on the gym and handed him his coffee. She turned back to the bench, placed her cup down, and peeled off her silver rain coat. It had been raining all morning. 

 

‘I’m so sorry Ren. A garbage truck on the highway tipped over and I was stuck in traffic, but it won’t happen again,” She said. 

 

“You said that before Phasma. I told you one excuse per month,” He eyes her. 

 

“There was an accident. I can’t help it,” She apologizes again.  “It won’t happen again.”

 

“Really?” 

 

“Yes.”

 

‘I don't believe you,” He scoffed. “We have the competition next month. Are you serious about this?”

 

“Yes. Kylo, stop being a jerk. I’ve been putting in extra work and I brought you coffee.” 

 

“But If you're late all the time,” He walks closer to her. “What use are you to me? Anyone can get me coffee. I can get a new partner who will put in 500% more effort. You’re expendable.” He almost spits in her face. 

 

.Before he can predict it, his steaming anger is cooled by iced coffee to the face. 

 

An seething Phasma looked at him coldly. “I’m done,  _ Ben _ . Go Find someone else to teach classes. Find another partner and another coffee girl. I quit.”

 

She walked out of the room, almost forgetting her bag and jacket. 

 

Kylo stared at himself in the practice mirror. His wet hair hung in front of his eyes. He hurled the hot coffee cup into his reflection and watched as his reflection shattered and broke. Leaving coffee stains on the hardwood flooring and the need to replace a mirror for the 3rd time in two months. 

 

* * *

 

Rey Kenobi walked out of the office building. The third one this week. Employers weren’t too keen on hiring someone straight out of the system. With only a diploma and fry-cookery on her applications, no one was giving her the time of day. 

 

At last whim, She considered going back to Plutt and asking politely for some money and her job back. He was her foster dad for 15 years, there had to have been a heart in there somewhere. Although, she knew he was only in it for the money, it was a nice thought though. She knew she was never going to go that route though. She was too scared and if she went when he was drunk? She was pretty sure she would be on a missing persons list in about a month when her landlord Hux came to try and evict her. 

 

The only other person that may report her would be Leia. Leia’s mother, Padmé lived next to Rey. Rey would occasionally go help feed her cat, Typho and just give company. Leia appreciated this and often made Rey casseroles. Ever since losing her job at McNimma’s (where Plutt was Manager), she was running off what little savings she had. She could not find a job, and all the ones her found wouldn’t hire her. Leia had offered her a job as a receptionist at her dance academy, but she refused. She wanted to feel like she earned it.

 

Leia and her brother Luke had been world class dancers once. While Rey didn’t know Luke she did know that Luke broke his hip an undisclosed amount of summers ago and didn’t teach anymore, and had kinda disappeared. Leia did teach though. Rey came and watched a rehearsal one day. Every movement was fluid and felt like it had purpose to it. It was like music.

 

She reached the bus stop and sat down in the wind box. She looked at the community bulletin that was tacked up. She took a pen out of the top bun of three on her head and scribbled down the few new wanted ads on the palm of her hand, hoping that the information wasn’t smudged by the time she got to her apartment. The last one on the list was for a place called Falcon Auto Repair. She thought this sounded familiar but dismissed it seconds later as the bus came rolling into view. 

 

“Going home Rey?” The driver, Maz,  asked her. 

“Yeah. Long Day.” She slumped in the seat. 

 

“I’m sorry,”The short woman responded. “If it helps, there’s a gathering on D’quar Street later tonight. My son and his boyfriend’s dance group, the resistance, is performing. I’m trying to get more people to come. It’s a free event, and based on the jazz you hum. I thought you might be interested.”

 

“Thanks Maz. I’ll think about it,” She looked out the window as she neared her stop. 

 

As She walked out the doors of the bus, Maz shouted at her. “The belonging you seek is not behind but ahead!” and shut the door. These cryptic messages were common for Maz and Rey didn’t think anything about it.  She bounded quickly up the stairs before Hux could catch her sneaking through. She shut the door to her apartment with a huff of relief. She began boiling water for some ramen noodles and transcribed the job offers of her palm and onto a napkin and decided that she would call tomorrow. Right now her mission was to eat, get ready for what was it a party? And not collapse from lack of sleep in the middle of the street tonight. She syphoned off some boiling water into a cup, opened a instant coffee packet, and stirred the dark brew. She drank it immediately. Strong, dark, hot, and equally terribly tasting. She needed caffeine, preferably in an IV drip, but this was the next best solution. She ate her salty chicken noodles, chugged more pure caffeine, and went to freshen up for tonight. Whatever that would be.

 

* * *

 

Rey crossed the crosswalk. She remounted her bicycle. She had built it when she was much younger. Unkar refused to buy her a bike, so she made her own out of scraps. She just kept repairing it when it broke. It broke often. 

 

She rode farther down the street. She knew what was happening before it happened. The chain snapped. She lost control of the bike and skidded into a trash can. She fell off the bike and narrowly avoided  smacking her unhelmeted head on the sidewalk. She curls into a ball to protect her head and rolls to a stop next to the pavement. 

 

“Miss, are you okay? I just saw you crash,” A voice above her says.

 

She picked herself up off the ground and brushed herself off before looking at him. “No It’s okay. This kind of thing happens a lot.” She looked at him. He looked really familiar. Chocolate skin and dark eyes. His black hair was cut close to his head. He wore a brown leather jacket and black pants. There was only one person she knew that had this description. She hadn’t seen him in five years. 

 

“Finn?” She asked flabbergasted. 

 

“Yeah. How do you know my name?” He looked like he was pondering her. “Wait-- freckles, buns, a piece of junk bike. Dang Rey you sure sprouted up.” He laughed and pulled her into a hug. “I haven’t seen you since I got out Plutt’s place, how have you been?” 

 

“I got out a year ago and things have gotten tough. There was some drama with Unkar a few months ago. You remember Bethany Brown? Unkar started hitting her again and I had given her my apartment number, when I moved out incase she needed any help. Sure enough she came with 2 loose teeth, a bloody nose, bruises, and a concussion.  She wasn’t doing well enough in school because english wasn’t her first language. He tried to teach her a lesson. She hit back though and came here. I reported him and got her out of there. He can’t hurt anymore kids. I paid for it with my job though. I haven’t been able to find another and am living on ramen noodles and instant coffee. Also 2 months behind on my rent.” She sighs. “I’m just glad that I helped her. I didn’t want to see her turn out like me.”

 

Rey had only been in the United States for two months when her parent dies in a car crash that somehow spared her and letf her orphaned. Her parent were following in the footstep of  her grandfather who had died in the states some 15 odd years before she was born. He had been a dancer.  She had no more living family in England and they put her in the American foster system. She was put with Plutt and was threatened with no food if she didn’t work or didn’t achieve high marks. She never told on him then. She was too scared.

 

“Anyway how have you been?” She asked reclaiming her smile from the unhappy memories. 

“Really good,” he said trying to say it nicely after hearing again about the thing with Plutt. “I acually know about the whole thing with BB. She came to my home after that, we’re in a dance trope with my boyfriend, called the --”

 

“Resistance?” She filled in.

 

“Yeah. Rey have you become a mind reader? Or something?” He asked jokingly. 

 

“No, my bus driver said that her son was dancing tonight and I vided me to come. I was just on my way there,” Rey said. 

 

“No way. It’s a small world I guess. Maz is the one who adopted me and is currently BB’s foster mother. Maz is planning on adopting her too though,” He flashed a huge smile. “Although Poe wants to adopt her still. We can’t though, because we’re not married.” 

 

“That’s great news! Poe is your boyfriend, I assume?” She asked.

 

“You’d be correct. He’s one of the star soloists in the trope and he’s getting his pilot's licence in a month. We’re going to go and do some world travelling.”  To Rey he looked like the cow that jumped over the moon. “We’ll have to get moving to get there on time. You coming?” He asked with gleaming eyes.

 

“You bet!” She replied. “You lead the way.”

 

* * *

  
  


Kylo had to break the new to the kids that Miss Phasma had quit today and he would be leading their ballet class. The troopers were baffled. They had liked Miss Phasma. A few of them started crying and were pulled out of class crying by their parents. Kylo didn’t know how to act around children. He would be too strict and cause more senseless crying, or be too lenient and the hardcore parent would pull them out. He hoped that he never had kids. He would feel sorry for them. They would had the same childhood as he did. 

 

His mother was always at the studio with her brother. They had been champions in their youth. Their group, the rebels, came in first in the galactic dance competition against the death starts, the mandalorians, and the endor school jazz team. They continued dancing and eventually the students became the teachers. He saw this and feel in love with the art. He hated the dance “troupes” though. He hated the uniformity it held. He admired his grandfather’s work though.

 

Anakin Skywalker had been a ballroom dance champion. He and his partner asoka where at the top of their game when she became injured and left the sport for good. He never found another partner and lost his meaning in life. He left almost left the sport. Obi-wan Kenobi, his mentor pulled him from his stupor and put him back together.  They were brothers from other mothers. 

 

His manager and childhood friend Padmé Amidala was instrumental in this. In his younger years, Skywalker was a awkward flirt who had tried the whole “Are you an angel?” gimmick. It must have worked because at this rekindling they fell in love. They married in secret of course. It would have been forbidden by the Jedi Corps. They didn’t care. 

 

He left with kenobi to go to a competition in kenobi's home of England.  Without knowledge that his wife was now pregnant. 

 

In England, he met a man named Sidious. He was very persuasive and Anakin joined his team in secret. He slammed everyone in competition under the name Darth Vader. He slammed all his former friends and nobody was the wiser. Except Kenobi, He was smarter than the rest. He confronted Anakin, but could not convince him to come home.  

 

He never returned to America, leaving Padmé to raise her newborn twins Luke and Leia by herself.

 

She had help from Kenobi, though it was not enough. When Anakin’s in-laws Beru and Owen heard of the children she offered to take the boy. The Organa’s, another family in the managerial loop offered to take Leia. 

 

She was grateful, but it was truly hard for her to give up her children. She did it to give them their best chance. She went to England more than a few times try to find Anakin. Obi-wan (now just Ben Kenobi) stayed to watch over the children and left the dance circuit. One trip she never came back.

 

When Beru and Owen died in a house fire, he moved in with Ben and met Leia. Ben became his dance teacher. They won the competition, became legends and teachers in their own right. 

 

Padmé came back with news that Anakin had died and been cremated. She came back to two grown up children and got to work making up for lost time. 

 

Kylo hadn’t seen Padmé in several months. She was the only one in his family he could tolerate. She had seen much of his grandfather in him, and understood better than leia or luke or han.

 

He helped with Typho and talked with her. Apparently the neighbor has taken a shine to the cat and would help too. He took solace in that. 

 

He liked cats. His ex-boyfriend Brendol Hux had one, an fluffy orange one named Millicent. He never saw her anymore since he and Hux broke up. 

 

He heard the door jingle as he began to lock up he knew who it would be. She looked up to he the old scared face of his mentor Mr. Snoke. 

 

Snoke was well into his 60s with a bald head, defined scars on his face, and burns on his neck. He was wise though. Kylo had drilled this statement into his mind. 

 

“Kylo Ren,” He bellowed. “Have you found Phasma’s replacement yet? You need a dance partner as well. The championship is a month away. You need to find a partner or You will be replaced.” 

 

“Yes Supreme Teacher,” Kylo replied. “This will all be done.” 

 

“It shall be Kylo Ren.”

 

Snoke exited the building and Kylo finished locking up. 

 

He wondered who to accomplish all these tasks and it was to late to hold auditions for a partner. It was also too last minute to find a teacher. He shook his head and sighed he would not have his master disappointed in him. He locked the door and slammed it shut. 

 

Kylo unlocked his car and strode up to the driver’s side to get in and go to his apartment. A flyer caught his eye on a telephone pole. 

 

_ Dance Competition D’quar Street 7:00-10:30 May 21st 2016.  _

 

He hated having to go to his old stomping ground and hated even more the possibility of seeing the people he dreads the most, but he needed a dancer and fast, or Snoke would be displeased.

 

He did not look forward to his master's displeasure.

 

* * *

  
  


Rey hadn’t seen this side of town before. She had always been on the otherside for work and her apartment and plutt's weren’t that far apart. 

 

This side of town was more industrial and severely crowded. Rey had never seen anything like it. She tossed her head from side to side looking at all the people. She still watched her friend in front of her leading the way. In their time apart he had grown taller, it wasn’t hard to follow him. They came up on a open lot that was overflowing with bodies. He turned to ensure that Rey was still behind him. He smiled and led her in.

 

The lot was darker than the rest of the street, but the white Christmas lights brightened it up. The brick walls were old and crumbling. The concrete floor was stained in various places, leading rey to believe that either a crime was committed or that this was once a garage. It was edged with people but the center was open. She assumed that this was where the dancing would take place. Save the area in the center it was chaotic. She loved it. 

 

“Rey!” Finn called breaking her somewhat trance. “Are you coming?”

 

“Coming!” She called back, following the sound of his voice. 

 

She followed him through the crowd to an opening with a door in a wall he opened it into another room with maybe ten or 15 people stretching. 

 

“Sorry I’m late everyone, I ran into an old friend. This is--”

 

“REY,” a young girl with almond eyes and coppery hair jumped up and flew into rey’s arms. “Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you,” BB repeated a few times. Rey hugged her back. 

 

“I’m just glad it was able to help. I see you dyed your hair. It suits you,” She smiled.

 

“My foster Mom Maz let me do it. She’ll be here in a few do you want to meet her?” BB asked excitedly.

 

“It’s a small world, believe it or not I already know Maz. She’s my bus driver,” Rey laughs. “She’s very nice and I’m glad you’re staying with her.”

 

“Rey,” Finn interjected. “I have someone I would like you to meet. Rey, this is my boyfriend, Poe. Poe, this is my friend, Rey. Rey and I were in Plutt’s together.”

 

Poe smiled brightly. “Thank you for getting these goobers away from him.” 

 

“No problem,” Rey replied. “You guys look like you have stuff you need to do. I’ll step outside.”

 

“No need, Finn isn’t the only one who was late. Jess and the general are late too” a football-built guy in the back says. The door opens behind them. 

 

“I’m right here. Sorry I’m late, I had car issues--” Leia Organa started to sputter. “Wait Rey dear what are you doing here? Is something wrong with my mother?”

 

“No Leia I didn’t even know you were going to be here. I went and fed Typho before I came. She was watching soap operas and was very content,” Rey’s voice started to pace faster.“Finn’s mother invited me. She’s my bus driver and I crashed my bike and met up with Finn, who I know from being in the same foster home, then I recounted how I know BB from the same foster home three years later, and now I’m here. Now what are you doing here?”

 

Leia looked a little less frightened after hearing that her mother was okay and that the world wasn’t falling apart. “I coach this team,” She started. “We meet in the evenings at the studio. Luke used to help too but…” She looked a little shaken. “Anyway that is what I’m doing here.” She turns to Poe. “Has everyone shown up?” She asks.

 

“The only one not accounted for is Jess. We can’t do the routine without the extra body and it’s too late to try to change the routine.”

 

At this point, Rey had started to doze off. She had had a long day and when she tried to sleep she only was interrupted by another knock on her door that she didn’t answer. How was she going to pay her late rent? She couldn’t avoid Hux, that hound, forever. Eventually she would be kicked out, or she would come home one day to find that her locks had been changed. What was she going to do then? Try living on the streets again like when she was a kid who always had to crawl back to Plutt because she was sick or dehydrated or starving? She couldn’t go back to Plutt ether. It would mean certain death, based on the numerous threats. 

 

“Rey?” Leia said. Rey snapped out of her overthinking. “Do you remember that routine that I showed you a few weeks ago? The one I was trying to come up with?”

 

“Barely,” She replied “Why”

 

“You’re about the same size as Jess. How would you like to be in the performance tonight?” Leia asked. “Please Rey?”

“I can’t dance. I’d be terrible.” She tried to counter. 

 

“It would be better than havig a missing piece of the dance. Rey, please?”  Finn pleaded. “It will be fun. I promise.” 

 

“Okay, I’ll do it,” She resolved. “Someone show me the steps please. I don’t want to screw up.” 

“You won’t Rey,” BB conforted. “You won’t.” 

 

Rey hoped she was right. 

 

* * *

  
  


Kylo always hated this place. He hadn’t recognized the street name, but as he rolled up to the lot he did. He had been there numerous times for competitions, before he left. It was a new kind of deja vu, he didn’t like it one bit. The people in the little rooms; finalizing routines, stretching, trying not to puke. 

 

He used to be one of them. 

 

Not the puking one because that was undignified, but nervous all the same. He had a legacy to protect. Not that he truly cared now, he only cared about one now. His grandfather’s. 

 

He had been one of these performers with a legacy on his shoulders no less. His famous mother and uncle and his father somewhat. Everyone expected him to have his mother’s grace, or his uncle’s agility, or his father’s nature. The only things that he had was his grandfather’s anger, good looks, and his ability. That was why he cracked. It was too much. 

 

The only one one who had never expected anything from him was his grandmother. She knew the pressure that was him and only asked that he wouldn’t stop visiting her, being her only grandchild. It was a promise he had kept somewhat. It was unconditional love and he did his best to keep it. It was why his grandmother was the only one he didn’t avoid.

 

He walked into the old lot. The meet had already started. The current team preforming was doing hip-hop-ish routine to some popular song. Something about everything turning to gold. He mostly listened to classical and whatever the classic rock station had to offer while he drove. It sounded familiar. Some band his ex was obsessed with. Imagine dragons maybe.  Yeah that sounded right. The performers wore all white with masks and their leader it seemed was wearing all silver. It seemed all too familiar. The silver figure did a jumped into a backflip and landed the pose to finish the routine. 

 

The crowd began to cheer and the dancers in white flied off in military fashion to their room. Only then the silver figure removed their helmet to reveal a short blonde pixie cut. 

 

That was phasma alright, and there was also another head making its way through the crowd. It was bright ginger in a clean cut. The ginger made his way to the blond and they strolled off together to the team’s room. 

 

What the kriffing nerfs was his ex-boyfriend/ex-choreographer and his ex-dance partner/ex-not-really-but-it-happened-girlfriend doing together. It could not mean good things for him, at all, ever. 

 

He figured that it was pick on  _ Ben _ Kylo day, because when the next team came out he was shocked, but not quite suprised to see his mother at the head of the line of orange jumpsuits. He hunched over pretending to tie his shoes. Then he realized that he must look very foolish. He was wearing loafers. He got up without returning to full height and found an empty place on the wall to sit. 

 

The performance started. The music was something something that he knew this time. “Carry on My Wayward Son” by Kansas, it was one of his Mother’s favorites. He thought that she must have seen the irony in it by know. 

 

The routine started slowly with only head movements, and was more interpretive. As soon as it hit the first guitar solo though everyone booked it into gear. There was so many things happening at once. It was chaos. It was his mother’s choreography alright. 

 

At the verse it turned into the same choreography from the beginning, the interpretive stuff. Except for two, the two were doing something a little different. They were ballroom dancing. It was something he had never seen in his mother’s work.

 

Ballroom was something she rarely did, even though it was something both she and luke were famous for. After that first competition they had competed together well into Kylo’s teens. She must have thought it would give her an edge on the other teams. If that was what she was trying to do, well then it worked. 

 

What was more intriguing was the pair doing the dancing, the worked together with rhythm. The boy was sturdy and seemed to be an okay dancer. He had black hair and chocolate skin. Based on the way he was dancing, Ballroom was not his forte. The girl on the other hand was something special. She seemed like a seasoned veteran of the dance floor from what he could see. She was not only letting herself be lead by the man, but the music. She had beauty and grace. She looked poised and in-charge despite not being the one in the lead. She spun out of his reach and they melded back into the whole group. They completed more spins and flips to the cadence of the music.

 

He kept a watchful eye on the girl. She was hard to miss with three buns going up the back of her head. She had hair the color of bark, that was the most he could see from his vantage point. One thing was clear. She never faltered. 

 

He wondered where his mother found amazing dancers like this.

 

The two came together for the next verse. The girl was even more at peace this time and spun several times. It was serious and playful, remorseful and joyous. A bunch of contradictions in a dance. 

 

He needed a partner who could convey all of this to an audience. This girl could shine anywhere. She was a storyteller. 

 

He needed her on his side.

 

He shook his head. This girl was probably accustomed to group dancing. He had goals to accomplish, none of them included chasing a pretty girl who could dance, even if she was perfect. 

 

The two met for the last time and he dipped her down. When she came back up she spun immediately away. He could tell that it wasn’t part of the plan, no matter how well her poker face held it (it was the man who gave it away). 

 

They melded back into the group for the last solo and struck a pose as it ended. 

 

He clapped along as he exited the building, not wanting to be caught by his mother, or Hux, or Phasma. Telling himself that he would find the girl to convince her to join him later. He had some thinking to do.

 

* * *

  
  


The girl was fiddling with a bike that was leaning on a telephone pole. The smoke gathered around her but she didn’t bat an eye.  Kylo wasn’t sure if she was fixing it for purposefully making it worse. He hadn’t inherited his father’s knack for fixing things. She was smaller up close, lean in a tan t-shirt and brown leggings. It was her all the same. The buns were a give away. 

 

“Girl!” He yelled from his quiet position at the side of the building. She didn't seem to notice him. “Hello!” He tried again. “Girl with the weird buns.”

 

After 30 seconds of trying to get her attention he resorted to other means. He stalked up behind her and crouched down to her level. When she saw him, she sprang back and pulled ear buds out of her ears. 

 

“Don’t come any closer or I’ll pepper spray you,” She said defiantly. “I’m not giving you anything.”

 

“I doubt it,” he said regarding the pepper spray. “I don’t see any.”

 

“Wanna bet  _ Monster _ ,”She spat out. With this girl he realised that he probably wouldn’t want to. 

 

“Force Forbid, I’m not going to hurt you. Quite the contrary actually,” He smirked. “My name is Kylo Ren. I saw your performance tonight. I would like to ask you how long you’ve been dancing.”

 

“Umm. I did it somewhat when I was younger. My parents wanted me to be famous like my grandfather, but then they died, and I fell out of practice. I was only doing some friends a favor. I’m not even part of the trope. If you could excuse me _ Mr. Ren _ , I am tired would like to fix my bike,” She started to fix her bike once more and tried to ignore the brooding figure. 

 

“But you won,” He started. “A talent like yours--”

 

“Winning doesn’t matter when your life’s a mess and when you are probably going to be homeless and possibly dead next week. Now please go find some other girl to flatter and try to hook up with. I have a bike to fix and a celebration to get to, if you please,” She gestured for him to fly off. 

 

“Fine Girl--”

 

“Rey. My name is Rey Kryze.” 

 

“I don’t care and you should be more grateful. I was going to--” 

 

“Then I don’t care either. Please go away.” She stuck her buds back into ears and worked diligently on her bike pretending that he was made of thin air. 

 

He walked back towards his car and kicked a garbage can. Lingering near it a moment to nurse his foot. He opened the driver’s side of his black mercedes and climbed in. 

 

Why was that infuriating little girl refusing him? The way she looked, small, frail, but really strong. She could be a scavenger, she may very well be next week if what she said was right.

 

He knew what Snoke would say. The girl is important, but not as important as finding a replacement teacher. There was something about her. 

 

Maybe it was her beauty, or her will, or her grace that was drawing him in a blinding him to his goals. 

 

He knew what the other important person in his life would say. His grandmother would say “you two remind me of Ani and I. Don’t let her go.” 

 

She would be right. Grandma was Headstrong and basically chased his grandfather’s ghost around Europe and the states and back for almost 20 years. She was not to be messed with. It seemed that this scavenger was the same way. 

 

He had been told that he had Anakin’s good hair, his anger, his talent, and his loyalty. Apparently that is what had scared his parents. Padme just ruffled his hair and smiled and said that she would love him regardless. 

 

Maybe he had to visit her tomorrow, She had the best advice and made the best cookies. 

 

He needed a lot of both of those.

 

* * *

  
  


Rey looped the chain back on to the gear and zipped up her small travel repair kit. She stuffed it into her backpack. She looked around to see if that guy was anywhere near. When didn’t see him anywhere she breathed a sigh of relief. She felt around in her pocket for the can of pepper spray, just to know that it was there. 

She mounted her bike and took off down the street towards the adress Finn had given her. It was on Takodana Ave. Yet another side of town she hadn’t been to. It was Maz’s house, they were having a celebration for the win tonight. She biked along on the route that Finn had drawn on a napkin. One of them was going to stay behind and guide her there after her bike was fixed, but she refused and said she would only be minutes behind them. She promised Leia that she wouldn’t get lost and to call if she did. 

 

Rey wondered if this was what having a real family felt like. 

 

She was careful not to hit any rocks or garbage cans or other pedestrians who were on a nighttime stroll.  She didn’t want a repeat of earlier. 

 

Her mind did drift occasionally though. To the leftover adrenaline fro the performance, to how alive and terrified she felt at the same time durring to performance. How good it felt to dance again. And subsequently to the brooding oaf that had scared the sith out of her.

 

He was tall, not tall enough to make her feel like a rag doll, but enough to make her feel intimidated. Would she ever tell anyone that though? Probably not. His black hair complimented his pale skin and soul-stealing eyes. In another world, maybe she would have let him finish speaking. 

 

She had things to do and people to see though and judging by how he kicked the poor, defenseless, trash can,, she was glad that she hadn’t let him go any farther. 

 

As she neared the corner, she cleared her mind of somewhat cute, dark, brooding, angry, boys with good hair. She had reached the intersection for Takodana Ave. Finn had said it was number 3. She could have guessed that due to the cars out front of the large victorian house. It almost reminded her of a castle from fairytales. She locked her bike up on a tree. Not like anyone would steal the garbage, but she couldn't take that chance.

 

She walked up the steps of the house and rang the doorbell. It took a minute for the short woman to come to the door. 

 

“Come on in Child! Everybody Rey is Here!” Maz yelled into the house. Shouts of Yes, Yay, and Can we eat now could be heard from the doorway. Rey stepped inside and took off her coat and boot. 

  
_ Yes _ , She told herself.  _ This is what family feels like. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> update:there won't be a new chapter today. It chapter is half write and I can't bring myself to write due to the shooting in orlando today. I am very sorry. I'm in the closet and I'm not feeling good at all. I'm so sorry and I'll be back tomorrow or later tonight after the tonys (if i calm down) Thanks for understanding.


	2. Day Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey goes looking for a job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just rey this time! Kylo will be next chapter.
> 
> Update: This chapter has been updated to include chapters: falcon auto repair, avoidance, and doubled huxes as of 8/16/16.

Rey woke up to a familiar hammering on her door. She declined to answer the door. With a headache and without sufficient sleep and coffee she would not be very civil. She needed her civility to stay in her apartment longer. She buried her head under her pillow and tries to drown out Hux’s complaining at her door. 9:30 a.m. like clockwork, every Saturday for the past month and a half. 

 

Brendol Hux Sr. was taller man with silvering crimson hair and what she thought was a permanent frown sewn onto his mouth. He was only a little slimmer than unkar and thought of him in the same regard. Someone to be feared. When she first moved in she told herself not to get on his bad side.  _ What a good job she was doing of it. _

 

When he finally left her door fifteen minutes later. She dragged her butt out from under the covers. They called her back, but she had job hunting to do today. She disrobed her ratty t-shirt and demins shorts and stepped in the shower. Hoping to cleanse herself of her aches from dancing last night. 

 

The water was cool when It was supposed to be hot. 

 

_ Hux must have not fixed the water heater again _ , she thought begrudgingly

 

The water was calming though and smoothed away minor aches. She could deal with the rest. She took the tiny soap bar and lathered her hands. Trying to get rid of the dirt under her fingernails. She turned off the spout and wrapped herself in a towel. She shook out her shoulder length hair and brushed out the snarls hurriedly. She looped three sections into three small buns running up the back off her scalp. 

 

She pulled on a lilac button-up over over a tank top and quickly buttoned it up. She tucked it into her black dress pants and started some water for her coffee. As the water boiled, she found her black “business” flats and stuffed her feet into them, They were a size or two too small. 

 

She thought about visiting Padmé now but the first place on her list, Falcon Auto Repair, opened at 10:30 and she wanted to be there early to beat out other job competitors. 

 

_ Granted _ , she thought. _ Not every person is scrambling on a saturday to be a mechanic. _

 

She would resolve to visit later. 

 

Rey chugged 3 cups of caffeine and grabbed 3 copies of her resume, one for each job she was pursuing. She hoped she wouldn’t need them all. 

 

She peeked her head out into the hallway to make sure Hux wasn’t there. She sighed in relief when he wasn’t and shut her door behind her only to find a note taped to her door. 

 

DEAR MS. KRYZE, 

I HAVE TRIED CONTACTING YOU SEVERAL TIMES ON THE SUBJECT OF HOW MUCH BEHIND YOU ARE ON YOUR RENT. YOU OWE $3000.71 NOT COUNTING INTEREST. IF I DON’T HAVE THAT AMOUNT PAID TO ME IN FULL BY NEXT FRIDAY, I WILL BE FORCED TO EVICT YOU. 

  * BRENDOL HUX SR.  



 

_ Kriff _ , she thought.  _ I’m screwed _ .

 

She pulled the note off the door and stuffed it into her pocket. 

 

* * *

  
  


She walked into the shop like she would for any potential job, with her head held high and extruding confidence, regardless of the events of that morning. She needed a job, and fast.

 

It was surprisingly calm inside. It was quiet in the front but she could hear two men talking in the back. 

 

“Hello?” She called out. “Anyone here?”

 

She heard two sets of feet heading to the door in front of her. 

 

“What can I do you for?” The man with grey hair asked. 

 

“My name is Rey Kryze and I would like to apply for your mechanic opening,” She smiles. 

 

They started laughing. “Okay Sweetheart,” the man with the grey hair started laughing. “I’m Han and this is Chewie. Let’s see what you can do.” The very tall man with the shaggy brown hair smiled and let words come out of his mouth. The accent was very thick so she could not make out the words, she just smiles back and let them lead. 

 

“Do you want my resume?” She asked as she followed them into the garage. 

 

“Nothing on that stupid sheet of paper will tell be if you’re a good fit or not. Tell me what’s wrong with this car?”

 

She peered under the hood of an old truck and examined the inside, until she found what she thought was wrong. 

 

“ Carburetor,” She said. “The line isn’t connected and there also appears to be a hole in the bottom. The fuel would have never reached the engine regardless if the hose was intact.”

 

“Good,” She thought she heard from Chewie. It was getting a little easier to tell what he was saying.  

 

“This one?” Han said pointing to the next car.  

 

“The universal joints on the drive shaft are busted. I can also tell you that it’s rear wheel drive.”

 

“Finally this one.” Han said. Rey walked over to the final car and stared at it for a while. The was nothing wrong with the engine or the brakes. The hoses were all connected and nothing was broken. The battery was close to expiring but that couldn’t be it. She turned her attention to the tires. Thyen were fairly new and were full of air. She looped back around to the bumper. No cosmetic damage to the bumper or anywhere in fact. She peered into the cabin. Based on the model of the car and one of the gauges she had her answer. 

 

“Nothing physically wrong with the car but the gas is practically empty,” She stated. “You also might want to replace the battery. It’s getting close to its expiration date.”   

 

“Why do you want this job?” Han asked. “I’d also like that resume now.”

 

Chewie could tell that han was impressed, as was he. 

 

Rey handed over her paper. “I need a job desperately. I’ve been unemployed for three months after an unsavory termination of my last one.” 

 

“You have no training listed. How do you know so much?” Han asked in disbelief.

 

“I was a foster child. Auto repair manuals were more accessible than picture books. I’m a fast learner for everything else and I need the money,” She said as convincingly as she could.  

 

Han sighed. “Can you start tomorrow kid?” 

“Yes Sir,” Rey smiled. “You won’t regret it Sir.”

 

“Han. Kid, call me Han.” He said.

 

“Yes Sir-- I mean Han.” She put her hand out to shake. He shook her hand and cracked a smile. He seemed familia, but she she ignored the feeling. She was just happy to have a job. On her way out she put her other two resumes in recycling bin. She didn’t need them. 

 

* * *

  
  


Kylo knocked on his grandmother’s door hesitantly. Was he really sure he wanted to do this? He considered turning around. He needed guidance. He swallowed his pride and knocked with a little more force. From the other side of the door he could hear shuffling of feet. He stood up straighter and tried to shake off his feelings. The door opened and a short elderly woman appeared. 

 

Padmé Amidala-Skywalker opened her arms to her grandson who towered over her by almost a foot. She had silvery hair that had never lost its natural curl and warm brown eyes that reminded him of his mother's, of his own. She was strong for her age. At 80, she didn’t show signs of slowing down.  

 

“Benny,” She smiled. “I missed you. I wondered when you were going to visit.”

 

She was the only one allowed to call him by that name. 

 

“Sorry Grandmother. I’ve been busy, but I need guidance, and possibly some cookies if you would be willing to make me some,” He muttered out the last part. He was really fond of her cookies.

 

“Yes child,” She welcomed him into her apartment. He sat down on her couch next to the cat. 

 

“Ben would you like some tea?” She asked. 

 

“Yes, please,” He responded. He pet the top of typho’s head and the cat crawled into Kylo’s lap. 

 

Typho was a massive grey lap cat who shed 3 cats a day. He was friendly and old with soft fur. Kylo normally would be annoyed by the hair but he couldn’t be mad at this one. The cat was too gentle. 

 

Padmé prattled into the room carrying a tray of cups and sugar cubes. She sat it down on the coffee table and sat next to her grandson. 

 

“You said you needed guidance,” She pondered. “About what?” 

 

She drops one cube into her tea and stirs. 

 

Kylo runs his hand through his hair and let’s out a breath he didn’t know he was holding in. 

 

“You remember the blonde women that I danced with at my last competition?”

 

“I suppose so. Very tall, yes?” Padme nodded. 

 

“That’s the one. Well, she quit yesterday morning--” 

 

“Did you lose control of your temper?” She asked sternly. 

“No. Well, not until after she left. She was late again and I scolded her. I received ice coffee to the face and she stormed out,” He explained leaving out the part about the broken mirror. “Snoke has tasked me with finding a replacement partner and a new dance teacher. I haven’t found a teacher yet so I will probably be teaching ballet for the foreseeable future. I think I found a partner though. I slipped by Mother’s competition because I was desperate. There was a girl. She was graceful, fluid, and storied, and beautiful. I approached her. Come to find out that she’s not in the troop, and she hasn’t danced since her youth, and it was all a favor to my mother. 

 

“All the same I still want her as a partner, but she was so … infuriating. She just wanted to fix her bike and leave. I became upset and stormed off. She gave her name, but I didn’t catch it. I regret it and now I’m considering talking to my mother to get a name or some contact information.”

 

“But that will break your contract with Snoke,” She said.

 

“That’s why I can’t. I was wondering if you could help me and get the details. I just need a partner and it’s a month away. I need someone who can sell it even if they mess up. She’s the girl,” Kylo looked his grandmother in the eyes. “Please?”

 

“I’ll see what I can do. I’ll go get the cookies and call your mother. I should be able to make something up.” Padme wandered off to the kitchen. 

 

After 2 cups of tea, Kylo needed to make a run to the bathroom. He tried to hold it in but the sound of the rain and impending doom of his grandmother’s phone call made it too difficult.  

 

* * *

  
  


Rey climbed up the fire escape. She figured that It would be better than trying to avoid Hux in the front lobby. She could just climb in through her window. 

 

However, rain started tumbling in making a bad day even worse. She was soaked to the bone. She took off her button up to avoid getting too cold and her hair had since come out of their neat buns.

 

She climbed the final stair to her window and tried to open it. She scowled. The window was laughing at her. It was locked. She felt like a weakling. She sighed until she noticed that Padme’s window was open. She was sure that she wouldn’t mind the visit. She was going to come later anyway. She descended her stairs and went up the ones leading to padme’s window. 

 

The window was infact open despite the rain and she was very grateful. She kicked one leg over the window sil and then the other and slid into the quaint apartment. 

 

Padme’s apartment was more a museum than a home. It was full of artifacts -- some real, some replicas -- and souvenirs of the different places she had been. There were some photos but Rey never looked at them. She felt like it would be prying. 

 

_ But this once she looked. _

 

It was a black and white polaroid. A man holding a bouquet of roses and smiling. He was standing next to another man who looked like a proud parent, complete with beard. The “proud parent” felt familiar to her, she didn’t know why. There was a girl on the other side of roses man. She had an mare of thick curly and wore a plain cotton dress with pockets. She had a gleeful smile. This was Padme when she looked much younger, and was that? No. Was that Anakin? Padme had talked about him before, the ghost she chased. It was rarely about a time that appeared this happy.  

 

She also wondered about the “proud parent”. She would make sure to ask later. 

 

She heard floorboards creak behind her. She spun around only to be tackled to the floor, but someone much larger than her. 

 

She couldn’t see, so she just kicked and punched with all her might until he (she least she though), grunted and rolled off her. She got back to her feet and tackled him. Straddling herself over his chest in an attempt to keep him down. She moved her hair from out of her eyes. She was shocked to see a good looking mop of black hair. 

 

“Brooding Monster?” She asked confused.

 

“Scavenger Girl?” He replied with enthusiasm that in part worried her. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?” 

 

“I wasn’t looking for -- I don’t owe you any answers. And I’m Not A Scavenger! What are you doing in my friend’s apartment?” 

 

Kylo started to laugh despite this girl on him, it almost hurt. “You’re friends with my grandmother? How rich is this?” 

 

“Ben,” Padme’s lilting voice came from the kitchen. “I have cookies!”

 

Padme came out from the kitchen looking a little perplexed at the situation. Her closest neighbor and her grandson. Stranger things have happened. 

 

“Rey, I was about to come get you, but since you're already here. It’s about time you met my grandson Ben,” She paused waiting for Kylo to introduce himself. He seemed too mesmerized by Rey. “Or Kylo as it appears you already know each other. Ben meet my neighbor Rey. Cookies?”   

 

After knowing that she was no longer in danger, Rey climbed off Ben and apologized, but said nothing else. Padme could see a storm brewing in Rey’s eyes. Ben got up and didn’t apologize with the same storm brewing. They both took 3 cookies and went to opposite sides of the ring, while still glaring at each other.

 

_ They kinda remind me of Ani and I _ .

 

She began to mediate, like she always did between Obi-wan and Anakin.

 

* * *

  
  


“I know that the situation isn’t ideal. It will be a rush of a month. You’ll need to be on time to practice. You’ll need to memorize routines quick. It makes it worse that you have no formal training, but I’ll have to make do. You have talent and If I put this back any farther Snoke won’t sponsor me. What do you say?” Kylo asked. “Will you be my dance partner?”

 

Rey didn’t know. He was offering her a job dancing. Something she had dared to do for a while. She had always liked it. It made her feel calm. Maybe she should risk it. It was a risk she was goign to have to take. 

 

“I’ll do it,” she breathed out. She heard him gasp in relief. “But on two conditions.” She could barter pretty well (from bartering more time to collect rent money) and she felt she could get them. He was so desperate. “One. I don’t work afternoons and evenings. I need my other job too.” She could feel his invisible sneer at her new title of grease monkey. “Two, I need an advance of 2500 dollars, by tuesday. I need to pay a few bills.” She pleased him with her eyes to not bring up what she had said outside the lot. She didn’t want to worry Padme. He seemed to understand. 

 

She had already done the math. With the 2500 and her money from her job at the Falcon, she would be able to pay off Hux by friday and keep her apartment. 

 

“So It is settled, I will see you Saveng--” He corrected himself. ”Rey, I will see you tomorrow morning at 7:00. Don’t be late. Thank you grandmother for the advice and the cookies. Can I plan on you being here on Wednesday? I think dinner would be nice.”

 

“Where else would I be?” She laughed heartly. “I will plan on it.” She pulled in for a hug and he leaves. 

 

Padme shuts the door. “Rey dear you look cold, go change your clothes and we can watch soap operas. I’ll put on some hot chocolate.”

 

“Okay, as long as we watch young and the restless that was some cliffhanger.” Rey laughed. “I’ll be back.”

 

* * *

  
  


Rey stepped out into the hall and walked to her door. 

 

“Ms. Kryze,” A gruff voice barked from down the hall. 

 

_ Kriff. This is what she was trying to avoid. _

 

She put on her charming nature and turned around.

 

“Good Afternoon Mr. Hux, how has your day been?” She smiled.

 

“Tracking down those delinquent on their rent like you Ms.Kryze,” He responded. “So not very well.”

“I’m dreadfully sorry for that. You will have the money by friday. I have just acquired two jobs today and I should have the payment in full for friday,” she smiled sweetly. 

 

“I highly doubt that you couldn’t have gotten those jobs prior to this. I expect the full amount and nothing less. I suggest you start packing up now. You’ll only have an hour on friday if you are evicted.” Rey was steamed by the time he finished his statement. Another dart in his photo on her metaphorical dartboard of people. 

 

“You will have your money Mr. Hux. Enjoy your evening.” She added with a dash of purposeful sarcasm. She knew her hated that. She opened and shut her door without a second glance at the man who appeared to be a freshly unpinned grenade.

 

* * *

  
  


Kylo jogged on the concrete. His black trainers gripped the ground as came closer to his destination. He slowed down when he saw the sign for first order studios. It was still early enough in the day that it was still light out. It was time for his lesson with snoke and the other ‘advanced’ students. It was a fairly small class. About 9 including himself, and he very distinctly didn’t want to see two people in particular Phasma and Hux were two of of Snoke’s students. After seeing them together at the dance meet, he might very well not want to go to practice. He had no choice. If he did not go he would lose Snoke’s endorsement, He could not risk that. He opened the door and it jingled. His master was waiting for him.

 

“Kylo Ren. Have you achieved your tasks?” He ancient man asked.   

 

“Yes Master. I have found a partner and I will be teaching ballet for the time being and holding interviews within a few weeks to find a permanent candidate.” Kylo said confidently hiding his dissatisfaction with the teaching. 

 

“There will be no need for you to teach. I have convinced Caterina to stay on as the ballet instructor, but I’m glad you found a partner. Will she be coming here tonight?” Kylo began to fret. He had no intentions of having his master see Rey in this state. If snoke got wind of her. 

 

“Actually Master. I would like to speak with you on that subject. As I have arranged the piece, I would like to have full responsibility over her training. I also discovered her so feel I should get the recognition. I would like to prove myself to you,” Kylo felt like he was sweating bullets. He had never talked to Snoke in this manner.

 

“I suppose. Though I will want an update in a week's time. Is that understood?” Snoke questioned. 

 

“Yes Master, I will not let you down.” Kylo responded. 

 

“Look who we have here. Mr. tall-dark-and-lanky,” someone laughed.

“Not in the mood carrot top.” Kylo called to his grievously annoying ex-boyfriend, Hux.

 

Hux was carbon copy of his father save a few things here in there. Hux Sr. straight as a board. Hux Jr. had some bend to him. Hux Jr. was annoying as a woodpecker. They had been friends for years before dating. Hux Sr. was the landlord at Padme’s apartment building and they attended the same dance classes. They had been friends before they developed mutual feelings. Phasma soon joined making the duo a trio. Then Hux broke up with him, out of the blue. He supposed he should have seen it coming. He was still awfully bitter about it. He was bitter about a lot of things. 

 

“You are dismissed Kylo Ren,” Snoke said, letting Kylo pass him to approach Hux. 

 

“So Ren I hear you found a partner. What poor girl did you fool into helping you with your amazing locks?” Hux scoffed. 

 

“Well I know you were there because I saw you, so it’s not worth denying. I saw you and Phasma holding hands after she competed in the meet. You had your heads served to you on a silver platter by the resistance. I managed to pull that amazing soloist from them.” He smirked. “May I ask what you were doing there?”

 

“I manage and choreograph her team now. I’m also dating her now, Ren.”  He rubbed it to Kylo’s face. Kylo was frozen. Two people he was dating were now dating. It felt like a conspiracy theory.  “And you got Rey Kryze? Good luck with that nutcase. She’s got some baggage I hear from my father. Apparently she had police show up at--”    

 

“You do not have the right to judge her,” Kylo shouted. “Your father shouldn’t have told you those things. And If I remember correctly you dated me? Who is also a nutcase. Shut up and get your facts straight. We will win the competition. Just you wait.” Kylo shoved Hux aside and proceeded into the practice room where we was only meet by Phasma’s ice cold gaze. He sat and began stretching. He would not allow the icy glaze or the laser eyes of hux in the back of his neck keep him from practicing.  

 

_ Why did you just defend her? She’s only going to let you down like your mother and father did. You won’t win. She has no talent.   _ A voice in his head said. 

  
_ I just have to hope that she is another Padme. I will win.  _ He thought.  _ For you grandfather.   _


	3. Day Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo and Rey have dreams about lives they didn't lead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like this chapter. It goes more into character development and sets up a little bit more backstory. It does get a bit angsty (maybe?), but I don't really know. Enjoy!
> 
> Update: As of 8/16/16 this has been updated to include the chapters: Dreams, First Order Impressions, and Trying.

Rey woke up at 5:30 on monday morning. She had to be at the studio by 7:00, but wasn’t going to sacrifice a shower and caffeine. She climbed begrudgingly out of bed and started water for coffee.

 

She reflected on Hux’s words yesterday. Only an hour if she were to be evicted. 

_ She wouldn’t _ , she told herself, but an hour wasn’t enough.

 

_ She didn’t have much, but an hour wasn’t enough.  _

 

_ Thursday night. I’ll pack everything up thursday night. Regardless if I’ll be booted or not. It will make everything neater and cleaner if I do stay _ . 

 

She tried to comfort herself with these words. To tell her that everything would be alright. She’ll have the money. She poured her water into one of three coffee cups in her possession and stirred in her instant crystals. She climbed out her window and sat on the fire escape. The sun was still rising. 

 

_ It will be a good day. You are starting not one, but two jobs. Both in places where you have passions. Everything is looking up from here. You are lucky to have what you have.  _

 

Then another voice entered the conversation. 

 

_ Accept you're a broke loser who is getting evicted in three days.  _

 

She sighed and filled another cup of coffee. She chugged it down and sighed. She stepped out of her PJs and into the still cold shower. 

 

She toweled off and wrapped her hair into her buns. She pulled on a t-shirt and black sports shorts. She stared at her feet for a few seconds. Did her tell her what shoes to wear? 

 

She gazed at her sneakers. Practical and she would don them to ride her bike, but not for ballroom dancing. Flats were appealing, but her was tall. It would be awkward. She found what she was looking for shortly, her closet wasn’t very expansive. 

 

She pulled out the well worn heels. She had pulled them out of a lost and found at leia’s academy age’s ago. Leia said she could take them. They had been there for upward of a year. Nobody was coming to claim them. 

 

Just like you.

 

Rey had dreams some nights. Some long-lost relative came to claim her from England. They adventured all around the world together. They were different all the time, she knew that, but after she woke up the identities vanished. 

 

She knew in her heart that no one was coming for her. The child in her just couldn’t let go. 

She sighed and picked up the heels. She hadn’t actually worn them to anything, yet. She just wanted the sense of importance that came from heels. 

 

She put them into a grocery bag and fried an egg. It was 6:00. She still had a little time before she had to leave. She drank another cup of caf with her egg and used the lady’s room. She filled a plastic water bottle with tap water and put it in the bag with the shoes getting,   the feeling that Kylo wouldn’t want to share his water with the “greasy scavenger girl”. 

 

Rey knew Leia and Padme. She wonder what father it took to produce that attitude and that hair all at the same time. 

 

It was 6:15 and she figured it was time to go. She pulled on her black rain coat in case of storm and left her window open a crack to get back in. She descended the stairs and mounted her junky bike. She pushed off the ground and made her way to  the address on Base Ave. that Kylo gave her.

* * *

  
  


His mother held him when he was small. His father would grin at the him. 

 

This was when they were around. 

 

His mother had her other baby, the academy. This father had a auto repair shop with his best friends. Young Ben Solo often was around his grandmother. She held him too. She would make him cookies and watch cartoons with him. When he got older it was sci-fi movies and horror flicks along with whatever history movies his grandmother added. Ben didn’t mind, he liked history.

 

He would go with his uncle sometimes too. Luke was a total goofball. They liked playing board games and had eating contests. Last he knew, Luke held the hot dog record at 23 in two minutes. He liked Luke, but he too had a hand in the academy.

 

He too had a hand in the academy. He was the de-facto captain of his family’s dance troop. He and his right hand man, Poe were great leaders together. He thought this would please his parents. 

 

It didn’t. 

 

At twenty-three he had enough of his parents neglecting him and he left troop dancing. He took Mr. Snoke’s offer of tutelage, in ballroom dancing. He could become like his grandfather whom he had an unhealthy obsession over. 

 

There were a few rules. No contact with his mother, father, or uncle. He had to distance himself from his famous family, including a name change. 

 

He was now Kylo Ren, powerful in his own right. 

 

Sometimes in sleep however his mind lingered. Over how soft his mother’s hair was when she held him. He wondered if it was still the same. Or the rose oil she put on her wrists to remind her of things ben never knew. He wondered if she still wore it. 

 

His father was more hazy. Did he still smell like motor oil from the shop? Did he still race with Lando and Chewie on the weekend? Did he still have the grin?

 

Was luke still away? After the accident, Kylo heard that he left. He couldn’t bear what had happened. His pride was wounded, later over the years Kylo though that maybe his heart was too. 

 

_ Did they miss him? _

 

He never asked his Grandmother any of this. She knew of the contract and knew that it would hurt him. She never brought it up. He was thankful.

 

He dreamed about going home. He never knew who everyone would react, so it varied from time to time.

 

His mother was happy and relived. Glad  to have her baby home. 

 

His father was glad that he came home so he could retire. Han wanted to pass the business on to his son. Unfortunately, Kylo didn’t know an engine from a compressor. His father would be upset but still happy. 

 

He didn’t know about Luke. In the dreams, Luke rarely came back. Kylo usually called. Luke eventually came back and forgave him for leaving and the accident

 

This was one of those mornings. 

 

He pulled himself out of bed and began his coffee pot. His sheets were messy and out of place. 

 

It was one of those nights.

 

It was 6:00. 

 

He retreated to the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. He combed his hair out and let it air dry. 

He drank his high grade arabica coffee close to black. He sipped it while watching the weather. 

 

_ High chance of rain on friday and through the weekend _

 

He shut off the television and swaggered over to his closet. It was 6:40, but the studio was only a block away. He outfitted himself with a black t-shirt and black sweatpants. He pulled on his trainers and stuffed sleek black dress shoes and a water bottle into a duffle bag. He grabbed the keys to the studio of the wall and locked the door to his apartment. He took the stairs two at a time. He only lived on the third story. 

 

He walked out of the building and towards the studio. 

 

The sun was blinding and warm. He only liked it sometimes, but this morning it was pleasant. Base street was quiet in the morning. It was only Kylo, the gum and cigarette butts on the sidewalk.   

 

He turned the corner and saw a peculiar sight. It looked like someone was sleeping against the wall. He kept walking. 

 

_ Maybe it’s a trash bag and you’re seeing things _ , he thought.

 

That’s when the trash bag moved. It sat upright and pulled a device from its pocket.  There was a hand. 

 

Kylo could have sworn he heard mumbling. 

 

“Off the premises!” He called. “Don’t make me call the cops.” 

 

The short figure stood up and lifted back they're hood. 

 

It was Rey. 

 

“Oh sorry,” he called out and walked closer. 

 

“You were almost late,” She snickered. 

 

“I also live around the corner. I wasn’t going to come early just to unlock when I could take my sweet time,” He said and unlocked the door. “Welcome to First Order Studios.”

 

He opened the door and Rey stepped inside.

 

* * *

  
  


Kylo was convinced that he had lost his mind. This girl and the one who performed in front of a croud of hundreds friday night could not have been the same person. 

 

Maybe he was too far way to see the actual movements, maybe he was too enthralled by her … everything. He would have thought this to be true. 

 

But they won out against Squadron, phasma and hux’s group.

 

It baffled him too how his mother got her presentable. 

 

_ To him she was unteachable _ . 

 

They had taken five. Rey needed water. Kylo needed a walk outside to clear his head. 

 

_ This girl knows nothing, no form, no technique, she didn’t even know how to stretch properly,  _ He thought.  _ Why did I put my faith into this measly girl?  _

 

Another voice answered back.  _ Because she’s pretty and you’re hopelessly desperate.  _

 

He clenched his teeth again at the thought. He had managed not to lose his cool so far. She had managed to crawl under his skin more times then he would have liked. Alas he needed this girl, he didn’t have time to find another candidate. 

 

He looked at his watch. He groaned and walked back to the studio in a sluggish pace. When he walked in he found her practicing the solo sequence that he had taught her. It was only a twirl-side step-twirl combo. 

 

She hadn’t noticed him yet, but he saw her face in the mirror. She had a sheen of sweat on her forehead and a look of pure determination on her face.

 

Ether she hung around his grandmother and mother too much, or Leia had some explaining to do. 

 

This was the girl he had seen on friday. 

 

She still hadn’t seen him, he cleared his throat to alert his presence. It completely knocked her spin like a colliding top. 

 

“Sorry, I didn’t see you come in,” She gagged on her own words. 

 

Her accent was a mystery to him. He didn’t care where she came from, but it was a mystery all the same. It was a posh british accent. He thought he recognized it, but he rationalized it to movies and mainstream media. 

 

“I didn’t want to interrupt. You were extremely focused,” He weighed his words. “It is time to get back to work. We still have two hours.”

 

“You’re absolutely right.” She responded. It was 9:00 and practice ended at 11. 

 

“We going to go back to the beginning. It’s going to start with you in a straight leg-ed  arabesque with your face towards me, then you will dip down into a  ecarte. I will grab your hands and pull you up. You will turn en pointe. Your leg will come down into fifth position and you will sashay backwards a few steps. You will do your combo that you were just doing while in the music's cadence--” He stopped. She was giving him a look. “What? Is there a problem”

 

“I have a list of words that I need you to clarify, and slow down for force’s sake,” She said exasperatedly. “I’m going to need a dictionary, or even better a translator for all of this.”

 

Kylo stared at her like she had given him the greatest insult ever. “I thought you said you had some training.” He said through almost clenched teeth. 

 

“I was four. Do you remember anything from when you were four?” She asked with her unique brand of sarcasm spread too thick. 

 

He wanted to scream at this insufferable girl. Not only because she infuriated him, but because he was right. 

 

His earliest memory was from when he was five. His father had let him drive his racing kart, much to his mother’s dismay. It was warranted though, when Ben crashed into the wall at the track. He only had a minor cut running down his face. It was now an almost unnoticeable sliver of a scar running down his face.  

 

“We’re done for today,” He near fumed. “Please find more acceptable shoes to dance in. Real ballet flats would be appreciated. Find a dictionary, do whatever, watch youtube videos, but come to rehearsal tomorrow with a better understanding of the language of dance.” He clutched his hands in fists behind his back. “Practice outside of here too.”

 

“I would but my apartment is smaller than a shoebox,” She joked trying to lighten the mood. 

 

“Not my problem, good day,” He gestured for her to leave.

 

She stared at him weirdly. It was her first day and she was already being sent home early. 

 

“Okay. I don’t know what I did to upset you, but seriously--” Rey started.

 

“You. Are. Dismissed.” Rey though he looked like a bomb about to explode. She got the message, gathered her things and left without a word. 

 

As she exited she heard things breaking. She thought it best to leave and possible rethink some of her life choices. 

 

She peddled away towards home to eat a well deserved lunch and get ready for her second job of the day. She hoped that It would be more successful than the last.

  
  


Kylo looked at the shattered vase of sunflowers. He looked at his blood: mixing and diluting with the water from the arrangement.

 

He berated himself for letting his anger get the better of him. Rey was probably scared out of her mind.  

 

_ Rey. _

 

Man did he screw up. This was not the impression he wanted to leave on her first day. He was being severely unprofessional. 

 

_ It was her fault _ . He tried justifying his actions.  _ She was being snippy _ . 

 

Soon, he found that most of his arguments were weak, and she was right. He would call later and apologize. He then realized that he didn’t have her number. 

 

_ You really screwed up this time. Rey will quit and you’ll never be happy. You aren’t going to beat Hux and Phasma now.  _

 

At the thought of Phasma he recoiled, She was coming in at twelve to begin her classes. 

 

He located a mop, a broom, and a replica vase in the utility closet. He first bandaged his bloodied fist and began to clean up his mess.   

 

* * *

  
  


Rey climbed through her window. This tactic was working better than she had hoped. However, She had less faith in her major plan than ever. She could see what would happen. She would be kicked out. She would live on the streets for awhile. The shelter would always be full. She would pawn off most of her things. She wouldn’t tell anyone though. 

 

_ She didn’t want to be a burden.   _

 

At some point she would disappear, maybe she would get sick, maybe Unkar’s open ended threats would ring true. 

 

She let go of these thought’s and started some water for her ramen. She turned her attention to her face. Bags hung droopily off her eyes and she had a small cluster of pimples forming on her forehead from rehearsal this morning.

 

She was trying, she really was. She just wanted to keep her apartment and be happy. She was willing to do close to anything to achieve that. Even working with insufferable man-children. It appeared that he was the one who could not work with her. 

 

She skimmed over everything she said. She didn’t say anything really rude she though. He might have misinterpreted her sarcasm, but she felt she made it clear that she was joking. Maybe he was just fed up with her in general. Everytime she asked him to explain things, she felt felt his anguish reach a higher level. 

 

She remembered the words that she needed definitions to: arabesque and ecarte. She was smart enough to get en pointe and fifth position. She wasn’t a complete barbarian, or scavenger as he had dubbed her. She was sure that the Falcon had a computer that she could google with on break. 

 

She turned her attention to her boiling water and dropped in the square noodles. She lowered the burner’s temperature and sifted through her fridge for something she could bring to work as a snack. She found a half-eaten macaroni and cheese from last week that hadn’t grown mold yet. She stuck it in the oven to kill bacteria. She strode from her kitchenette and sat on her measly couch. 

 

It was a dirty mustard color with several broken springs and had been left behind by the previous tenants. She had tried to clean it several times, but it was always the same miserable shade of yellow. She eventually gave up bothering and the color grew on her. She would be sad to see it go.

 

Rey’s apartment was basically a shoe box. The couch took up half of her living room. The other half was a purple bookshelf with books her read millions of times over. A thin red coffee table came between them and left little walking space. Her window was on the other end with the radiator. The kitchenette and dining area were the same space, though she did not believe that it could be considered a room because it had no wall separating it from the living room.

 

Her room was better. It was a pale robin egg blue. It was smaller than the frankenstein-ed living-dining-ette, but she liked to think of it as intimate. She had a twin bed, but she was small and didn’t mind. Especially since that is the size she had always slept in during her life thus far. It had a small white dresser and mirror combo. That was also left behind by the previous tenant. 

 

Rey always thought that their may have been two people living there. The couch and bedroom were two very different styles. The bedroom was orderly and organized. The living space had a beat up couch and contrasted colors. 

 

_ Siblings _ , She often thought.  _ A boy and a girl. Polar opposites.   _

 

The bathroom was sparse and did its job with a small mirror and medicine cabinet. Nothing fancy. 

 

She could see the steam rising from the little red pot she was cooking with. She dumped in half the seasoning packet and poured it into a bowl. She set it on the dining table, knowing full well that she couldn’t eat it for ten minutes. 

 

She pull her energy into putting on her work uniform. It was an unflattering gray zip-up jumpsuit with pockets on the legs like cargo pants. She didn’t really care about her appearance, so it didn’t bother her. 

 

She readjusted her top bun so the hair wouldn’t get in her eyes. She stuck a pencil in it, knowing that she would likely need one. 

 

She attached the little clip that had her name on it and proceeded to begin eating her noodles early. They smelled good and she was hungry. 

 

She ate them with procision. She washed her bowl in the sink and checked the time. She had to be at work by 12. It was 10:55. 

 

_ Better to be early than to be late _ , She thought. 

 

She refilled her water bottle and put in into another grocery bag. She ascended the fire escape and took of for her second job of the day.

 

* * *

  
  


Rey dismounted her bike in the alley next to the falcon. She didn’t bother locking it up, no one would steal a piece of garbage. She walked into the back entrance. She could hear Han laughing from the front. It was probably just him and Chewie laughing about something. 

 

“Han! I’m ready to start my shift,” She yelled to the front and began walking in that direction. “I know I’m here early but--”

 

That’s when Rey saw a face that she didn’t expect to see.

 

“Leia? What are you doing here?” She asked. She didn’t expect leia to be here. It was even weirder to see her after the morning she had. 

 

“Oh Rey,” She was startled. 

 

“So you two know each other,” Han asked. He seemed a little annoyed, but not surprised.

 

“Yes, Rey lives next to my mother. She also subbed in at the meet on friday that I was telling you about,” Leia smiled, obviously recalling the win. Leia stared at hand for a minute and he stared back as if she had galaxies in her eyes.  

 

“Hey guys, I’m just going to need a wee bit of clarification as to everything,” Rey said. 

 

“Oh well since I never introduced you, because  _ someone  _ never comes to the studio any more. This is Han, my best friend and estranged husband,” Leia stated. 

 

Rey thought these were two very different titles, but this was Leia so she didn’t judge. 

 

“Employee, This is my wife Leia Organa, who has changed her hair since the last time I saw her,” He said. 

 

He said wife. They were on different pages. She pondered this for a moment.

 

“Same jacket,” Leia rolled her eyes, though she was secretly relieved that he had noticed.

 

“Different jacket,” Han said with an expression that Rey could not quiet read.

 

A thought slapped her across the face. If Han is Leia’s husband, and Kylo is Leia’s son. Does that mean? 

 

At least she knew where the hair and attitude came from. 

 

* * *

  
  


After Leia left things quieted down, Han made a coffee run, because even though she was the newbie, her mode of transportation was not suited to carrying a coffee tray. 

 

The coffee was far better than what she was used too. This wasn’t her run of the mill IV coffee. This was actually enjoyable. 

 

There was a few appointments in the afternoon. Han said most everyone dropped off cars in the morning and they were out by 11. There was a few oil changes, inspections, and tire changes to be dealt with. She helped either Han or Chewie with repairs. In between appointments she and Chewie played a game called Dejarik. She had never played before, but It was fairly simple. It reminded her somewhat of chess.

 

She answered the telephone too. People wanting to schedule appointments. She was good at it. Chewie tried while she was on the restroom once. The parton couldn’t understand his accent over the phone. She felt bad for him, not when he creamed her in dejarik, but she had an accent too and understood. 

 

Soon it was 3:30 and she had her lunch break. The mac and cheese that she heated but was still hot somehow, but she didn’t mind. She ate it while skimming through the computer at the front desk, looking up the words and others related to dance. She wanted to be ready for whatever tomorrow held. 

 

While she was at it, she downloaded the performance music to her mp3 player. She wasn’t very familiar with orchestral music. she thought she had heard this one before though. It was The Second Waltz, composed by Shostakovich. She had never really listened to that kind of music before, but each time she listened to the piece, a new thing could be heard. This excited her.

 

Chewie had to leave around 4:30, he had to pick up his youngest from soccer practice. Leaving Rey and Han to hold down the fort. 

 

They only had a few more clients that day, leaving Rey to twiddle her fingers most of the time. 

 

She looked at the calendar for tomorrow. Things looked busier on paper. She yawned.

 

Rey looked at the clock. It was 6:15. She had already been up for 13 hours, and she didn’t get done until seven. 

 

_ Maybe this all wasn’t a good idea _ , She thought. I won’t be able to do this _. I can barely stay awake right now _ . 

 

“Kid?” Han asked. She snapped out of her sleep deprived stupor. 

 

“Yeah?” She said. 

 

“Can you lock up tonight? There’s an extra set of keys on my desk. Leia just called and she wants to go out to dinner.”

 

“Um, yeah sure,” She replied. He pulled his coat on to his shoulders. “What happened with you two?”

 

“It’s a long story kid. Maybe I’ll tell you it some day,” He said almost remorsefully. He tossed her the keys. “Have a good night kid.” 

 

“You too.” He walked out leaving her alone with her thoughts.

 

* * *

 

 

After Han left, the minutes seemed to stretch. One minute felt like five. 

 

She thought about her day. It was crazy, and she worried that if she read into much her head would explode. How deep did she get into this family? 

 

She was employed by father and son. Leia was a good friend. Padme was like a grandmother. Rey couldn’t say for sure because all her grandparents died before she was born, but she got that feeling. 

 

What had happened to this family to making them so dysfunctional? 

 

Something was telling her that it had something to do with the prodigal son. 

 

He was the one who went by another name. He was the one that was hiding on the opposite side of town. He was the one who only talked to Padme. He was the one who seemed to get aggravated at every little thing. 

 

What happened here? 

 

Maybe in time she would find out. 

 

She took a pencil and a piece of paper and started to do some math. She got 19 dollars an hour here. She will have worked 7 hours today. That was 133 dollars today. She’d have 2500 from Kylo tomorrow, if she was lucky. It was monday right now. If she worked the same schedule until payday here on thursday, she’d have the 3000 for friday morning. 

 

She hoped that she was lucky. 

 

As 7:00 rolled around, she went to Han’s office. It looked rarely used due to the thin layer of dust on everything. She came closer to the desk. She found the keys, but she found something else too.

 

A picture frame. 

 

It didn’t have the same film of dust. 

 

It was a boy with a wide grin and wild black hair on a beach. He was sitting next to a women with long chestnut hair in a black bathing suit.  The boy and the woman had the same soft brown eyes. 

 

Was this what she thought it was? Was this young Kylo -- or  _ Ben _ ? 

 

He looked really happy. Not anything that she had seen of knowing him for this weekend. The smile looked like it could outshine the sun. It looked like he was half causing some kind of mischief, half mid-laugh.

 

Who was this kid and who replaced him?  

 

She grabbed the keys off the desk and backed out of the room. She gathered her things and turned off the lights. She locked the front door and headed to the back door. She exited and locked it behind her. 

 

_ What if that boy is still in there? _ She wondered.  _ I want to know that boy _ .

 

_ I’ll keep trying. It is the least that this family deserves.  _

 

She mounted her bike and rode towards home. She had to be up early to start it all again. 

 

* * *

 

 

She went in the front entrance. Hux left his post at 6:30 for the night. 

 

She heaved up the stairs to her apartment and found a note taped to her door. 

 

“Hux really…” She sighed under her breath. She pulled the folded note off her door. 

 

It wasn’t from Hux though. 

 

It read:

 

DEAR REY, I’M SORRY FOR MY RUDENESS AND IF I SCARED YOU. PLEASE COME BACK TO WORK TOMORROW. 

KYLO

 

He was trying too. It was a start. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Day Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey wakes up late. Kylo tries to turn over a new leaf.  
> As of 2/17/18 this has been updated to include the old chapters coffee, tense, and tie-breaker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Hope you like this chapter! I would have been more but i try to keep these 1000-1500 words words (because this is my first multi-chapter fic) and this felt like a good place to end. Enjoy!

 

Rey looked over at her alarm clock. The big red block numbers flashed 5:55am. 

 

Rey jumped at the alert. 

 

_ Kriff. Kriff. Kriff.  _ Played on a broken record in her head. 

 

If she had slept any longer she would probably be late for her morning session with Kylo. She stuffed a piece of bread down her throat. As she chewed,she rushed to her bathroom to wash the grease off her hands. She looked in the mirror. She had a line of grease on the side of her temple, it ran into her hair.  

 

_ Kriff. Kriff. Kriff. _

 

She hung her head over the tub and turned on the shower. She squeezed some soap into her hand and massaged it into her hair. She rinsed it out and put it into her signature buns. She striped out of her jump suit and pulled a pale yellow t-shirt that that had a few minor holes and her discarded shorts from the previous day.

 

She checked the clock in her room again. It was 6:15. She filled her water bottle again and didn’t bother with the shoes. He hadn’t liked them. She bagged her bottle and fled down the fire escape. 

 

* * *

  
  


Kylo’s wrapped hand was throbbing this morning. He regretted hitting the vase. He regretted making her leave. 

 

He regretted a lot of things.

 

He had tried getting her phone number from his grandmother, but to his surprise her had no cell phone and the number Padme gave him was disconnected. He figured that she would come home from work at some point and she would find his note. He hoped.

 

_ He wanted her to come back.  _

 

He needed a partner and did not have a lot of time left to find another replacement. He told himself this frequently. But there was sometimes when he let his mind wander. 

 

Her smile. He’d seen it thrice. Twice at the completion and once when his grandmother made a joke the other day. He had heard her laugh too. It was so pure sounding.

 

It was rich and lovely, almost heavenly. 

 

She was slight compared to him, but she was strong. She was modest, and sometimes clueless, but she had a grace too powerful to put into words. 

 

It was like she was beautiful and didn’t know it.

 

_ She doesn’t like you though. To her you will always be the guy who bailed on his family. You will always be the guy who lashed out at her first day of work. _

 

He looked at his face in the mirror. He found a ghost it his place.

 

He left his bathroom and moped into his kitchen. He pulled a to-go cup out of the cabinet for his coffee. He had showered before starting the pot and it was only ¾ of the way full. He didn’t have time to let it finish brewing. It was 6:50. If Rey was coming, he knew that she would have already have been waiting who knows how long. 

 

He went to put a lid on the bottle and found that he had forgotten it in the cabinet. He pulled down the lid and eyed the other to-go cup. 

 

_ Had you ever brought phasma coffee?  _ He asked himself. He found the answer quickly and reached for the other cup and lid. He poured out the rest of the pot and clamped the lid on. 

 

_ Maybe you can make it up to her.  _ He thought as he gathered the things her needed for the day. He filled his water bottle and placed it into the sports bag. He grabbed the coffees, his keys, and headed out the door at 6:55. 

 

* * *

  
  


Rey was examining the handiwork on her bike when she saw him. She had only just arrived (living on the other side of an expansive city was a pain). He was carrying things.

 

_ Probably just his coffee and his keys _ , She thought.  _ He must have woke up late too. _

 

As He came closer, she realized that he had not one but two tumblers.

 

_ Coffee and water _ , She speculated.  _ He wouldn’t bring coffee for you. It’s not in his nature.  _

 

When he reached earshot, She gave him an awkward good morning. They hadn’t exactly last seen each other on the best terms.

 

“Good Morning,” He said. “I assume you got my message?”

 

“Yes, the note was … lovely,” She found herself wanting to giggle, but she restrained. 

 

“You hadn’t given me a number and I wanted to apologize,” He left out the part about Padme and the disconnected phone. He didn’t want to make her feel bad. “I have also brought you some peace offerings. Coffee, your payment, and something else.”

 

He tried handing her the coffee, but she was still shocked that he of all people was trying to make amends with her. A girl he just barely met, but coffee is coffee. Knowing him it was also probably good coffee.She hadn’t had any coffee this morning because of her late start, so she gladly                    accepted the cup after a second.  

 

He looked a little shocked in return she thought, but then dismissed it. He unlocked the door and led her inside. She sipped her coffee. 

 

There was never a time that she was more right than this. 

 

It was more delectable than her instant. It had nutty undertones and it still retained its darkness. It wasn't strong or weak. It was nice. It could use some sugar and half and half though. But she was not one to complain. 

 

He opened the practice room, he asked. "How do you take your coffee, by the way?" 

 

She was confused. 

 

_ Did he actually want to get to know her?  _

 

Apparently she paused too long, he seemed to be upset. He turned away from her.  

 

It was now awkward, but was it ever not? 

 

"Any way." She said to his back.

"What?" He turned around.

 

"I'll take my coffee any way. Generally I funnel instant without anything added. But I'll take it any way. Sugar and milk. Or half and half or cream. Really anything," She tried a smile.

 

To her surprise he returned a small one. He was cuter when he smiled. 

 

_ Wait did you just admit that he's cute?  _

 

_ Kriff. Kriff. Kriff. _

 

He sipped his coffee. "So did you find a dictionary or at least look up what you missed?" He questioned, trying to avoid the subject of yesterday as much as he could. 

 

“Yes, I actually did a lot of research at work during my break. An arabesque is where a leg is stretched out 90 degrees behind. An ecarte is where your bent over,” She placed her coffee cup on the ground. “So it would look something like this.” She went on one leg and extended it out. 

 

“Show me later, we need to stretch first,” He said.

 

“Okay,” She replied. 

 

“Did you find shoes?” He asked. 

 

“No, but I will find some really soon I just need a little more time,” She said as genuinely as she could. She didn’t want to upset him. 

 

He didn’t seem upset, but she knew that he probably was. She knew that he was trying to control his temper. She knew that he was trying to change. 

 

She knew that it would have to be enough for now.

 

“Please have them by friday.” He bit his lip, like he was trying to hold it in. 

  
“Okay, Let’s get to work then,” She said.  

“You can have all the balance in the world and still be deducted for a lack of pointed toes,” Kylo  
commented.  
“Sorry, we all can’t be picture perfect like you,” Rey commented.  
Kylo felt infuriated again by this girl and her endless sarcasm.  
“I will take that as a compliment,” He said curtly. He was really trying not to get angry with this  
girl. He needed her to stay and he didn’t want to scared her off again.  
It was 10:50 and he wanted to get through today will no broken mirrors, vases, or noses. His track  
record in the past wasn’t all that good, but he was actually trying today.  
He wasn’t sure why he had these outbursts. He always thought that there was something wrong  
with him. He always blamed it on his  
“Kylo,” He heard.  
“Yes,” He responded, thus pulling him from his pressing thoughts.  
“I’ve been trying to get your attention, are you okay? You seem tense,” Rey asked.  
“Not at all. You're just unnerving at times, but no matter,” He said.  
“Me? Unnerving? Are we not going to talk about the mess that yesterday was? It was my first  
day. You could have cut me a little bit of slack.” Rey retorts.  
“Slack? It is not in my vocabulary. Or my masters. I thought you had more training than you have.  
The competition is in a month. And if I don’t win- ”  
“You’re afraid. That you will never be as glorious as darth vader, your grandfather,” She spoke.  
His blood turned cold. “How do you know that?”  
“I lived next to your grandmother for around 9 months now. Romance movies make her bring out  
pictures. She would talk about him a lot. He had beautiful blue eyes and hair as blonde as the sun.  
His nickname for her was ‘angel’. She said- ”  
“Enough!” He yelled.  
Before Rey could know what he was doing he barreled into the mirrored wall fist first. It smashed  
into millions of tiny crumbs with slightly larger ones mixed in.  
She stood in a state of horror.  
That’s why he had wanted her to leave.  
He hit it another time. Red droplets started appearing on the floor. He was going to try for another  
hit, but Rey caught his bleeding fist.  
“Stop!” She cried out. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for bringing it up. Just please stop hurting yourself.”  
Rey could feel that she was close to angry tears.  
But why? He didn’t care about her, why should she show him any kindness?  
Because it is the human thing to do.  
His rapid breathing started to slow, she pulled him away from the wall.  
Kylo could feel his adrenaline leaving and his fist quickly started feeling pain. He couldn't tell  
who was more shaken up, Him or Rey?  
She was quivering like a leaf.. He didn’t think it was the blood that scared her, she didn’t seem the  
type. There was something though. There was something bothering her. He didn’t know what. It  
didn’t make him feel good inside.  
“I’ll clean it out,” She stated in a hushed tone. “Then bandage it, okay? But then I have to go.”  
He stared at her in awe.  
Was she really helping him?  
“Come on,” She led him over to one of the benches. “So you do this often?” She ventured.  
He gave her a glare.  
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked,” She walked away to reach the first aid kit on the other side of the  
room.  
“Yes,” He said quietly. “Yesterday my victim was a vase. Friday morning it was another mirror.”  
She turned around.  
“I’m really sorry,” He said. “I can’t control it. When I’m upset or angry it all comes out.”  
“It’s okay, I get it there are triggers. We all have them. Some are just more prevalent than others.  
There is no need to be ashamed of that.” She turned around and pulled the med-kit off the wall.  
She walked back over to him and opened the box.  
“First you need to- ” He started.  
“I know what I’m doing,” She reaches for the tweezers. “Honest.”  
Kylo let himself take a back seat. As she pulled out the shards, she seemed off kilter. He was  
going to ask if she was okay but she seemed to recover quickly. He pretended not to notice.  
Once she had all the glass out, she proceeded to wipe the wounds will alcohol wipes to stop  
infections. She took his hand in hers to check the damage.  
It was quiet while she worked. It was a nice quiet. It felt soothing, rather than how the quiet  
normally felt. He liked it.  
She placed some antibacterial cream on a bandage and affixed it onto his fist. She proceeded to  
wrap it in gauze.  
Her fingers were calloused, but her palms were softer. She smelled like a great variety of things.  
Grease, vanilla, chalk, and faintly of oil. There was a stripe in her hair, unwashed out soap  
possibly?  
She looked at him having finished wrapping. “I have to go or I will be late for my next job.” She  
stood up and began collecting her things.  
“Wait,” He said. Maybe a little too eagerly for his liking. He reached into his bag and stood up,  
now dwarfing her. “Your 2500 as requested. “ He handed her an envelope. “It’s in hundreds. You  
didn’t specify.”  
The look on her face was unforgettable. She looked like she just won the lotto.  
“Thank you,” She said. “It’s perfect.”  
“And an extra thing,” He pulled a small brown paper bag out of his bag. “I haven’t quite cleared  
this with my master, but here is a key to this place. My old partner had turned in her extra and I  
never gave it back. You said your apartment was the size of a shoebox. Now you have no excuse  
to not practice.”  
“Thank you so much! You won’t regret it. I promise. I see you tomorrow,” She said as she  
accepted the key and rushed out the door.  
It was 11:10 when she left.  
He turned his attention to his blood on the floor and the broken glass. He sighed. He had 50  
minutes to clean it up, and remove the broken mirror before his class at 12. He grabbed the broom  
and dustpan and set to work trying to unravel the mystery of Rey Kryze in his head  
Rey knew that she would be cutting it close time wise. She had to be at work in 20 minutes, it  
took 10 minutes to bike there and she was 5 minutes from home.  
It left 5 minutes for her to change back into her jumpsuit, deposit the money into her lockbox in  
the bottom of her closet, and maybe eat something.  
Are you just going to be late the entire day or what? She asked herself.  
She shook off the thoughts and continued to bike down the street. There were some thoughts that  
she couldn’t shake though.  
Why the smashed mirror? Was he okay? Should you tell someone?  
Why do you even care?  
She turned into the alley next to the apartment building.  
Because he brought you cof ee, he was decent half the morning, because he is trying.  
She dismounted her bike and put up the kickstand. She sprinted up the step of the fire escape and  
flew in her window. She made a mad dash around her apartment. She kicked off her shorts and  
pulled the top up over her head. She picked up her discarded jumpsuit and stretched the elastic  
ankle hole around her sneakered feet. She pulled it up over her shoulders and pushed her arms  
through the holes. She zipped it up speedily.  
She opened her minimalist closet and opened the lacked to a small lock box that hadn't been  
locked in ages. She put the money envelope inside delicately. She it was just money, but as it was  
right now it was all she had. She put the box back in the closet and looked at the time.  
Did she want to risk trying to find food?  
She looked at the time and decided that the answer was no. She dashed back down the fire escape  
like she was cinderella running away from the ball and got back on her bike. She peddled quickly  
away toward the garage.  
She got there on time, which to her was late. She had always prided herself on being early to  
things. She was bummed, but at least she wasn’t late.  
She locked up her bike and went in the back entrance. She walked through the garage and saw  
Han and chewie arguing over a very small car, or at least she thought it was a car.  
It was very low to the ground, white with aqua stripes. It reminded her of blue waters that she had  
seen in travel magazines and wouldn't dare dream about going.  
“What’s that?” She asked as she punched in. Han and Chewie seemed startled. They stopped  
arguing.  
“We didn’t see you come in kid,” Han said. “This? It just an old cart that I’m refurbishing.”  
“Lies, Solo,” Chewie laughed. “It’s his old cart. This nerf used to race. We were arguing about  
giving the millennium here a new paint job.”  
Rey shook her head. “If it helps, I will break the tie,” she looked at the cart. “And I vote no. Don’t  
paint it. It looks cool.”  
“I told you,” Chewie laughed. “Now we can get back work.”  
“Okay can we get to work?” Rey laughed. “Please?”  
“Okay, kid. Whatever you say,” Han walked into the waiting room.  
Rey started to work.  
Kylo was deep in thought. He stretched out his toes and curled them back in. He wondered how  
he could explain this current situation to his master. Snoke was not an easy person to please.  
Rey was good, but how could he show Snoke without meeting the girl behind it all. The girl he  
wanted to keep for himself.  
“Kylo Ren,” Snoke said from the back of the room. “May I have a word with you?”  
“Yes master,” He replied. He got up from his place on the floor.  
He walked out of the open door and into the hallway.  
“Yes?” Kylo asked.  
“When will I meet the girl?” Snoke asked.  
“I requested that I could train her. Everything is- ”  
“I realise that Kylo Ren, but I need to know that I’m am putting my endorsement to the right team.  
I need to meet her tomorrow, thursday at the latest. Do we have a deal?” Snoke asked in a low  
voice.  
“Yes Master,” Kylo replied. “It will be done.”  
“You may go back in now,” Snoke said.  
When Kylo walked back in, he could feel Hux burning two marks in the back of his head. He had  
half a mind to start a fight, but he was already hurt and didn’t want to ruin Rey’s bandaging. She  
was careful, more than he would have been.  
“Students. I am ready to begin class,” The master commanded. “First en pointe for 5 minutes. Do  
not falter. Then switch feet. Start now.”  
Kylo extended his toe to begin the grueling task. Rey better be ready. He would coach her not to  
anger his master. He hoped.  
Chewie locked up this time, he left her leave at 6:30. She was grateful.  
As she rode her bike she thought of food, maybe there she could borrow some cheese from Padme  
and she could have a grilled cheese. She wanted something hot and gooey. Sleep was also a very  
tempting option, so was a shower.  
She peddled along sleepily trying not to nod off.  
She came up to an intersection and stopped to let the cars pass. Her eyes wandered around the  
area. It was still light out, but the streets were bare. It was nice to watch. She heard a horn honk  
behind her. She began to peddle through the intersection and turned onto jakku street.  
Her stomach growled as she lumbered up the fire escape. She was drained.  
She put some some water on the stove on low and peeled off her jumpsuit. She undid her buns  
and clamored over to the shower. She pulled back the curtain and stepped in. She turned on the  
spout and took a much needed shower.  
The water was nice and cool. It helped her achy joints. She lathered up her hair and rinsed it out to  
her satisfaction. She turned off the shower and looked herself. She decide to go turn off the water  
and go to bed now. She could eat tomorrow.


	5. Day Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kylo wonders. Rey is hungry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so I feel like this is long awaited because i haven't updated it in two weeks. Sorry. I got kinda blocked with this one (on the other hand dark!rey is flourishing in my mind so...) Anyway here's the update. I might go through and change the way i've split up the chapters. a. so it's easier to find where I am story wise, b. 30 some odd chapters instead of 90 some odd chapters. c. longer chapters. So if the amount and length of chapters changes , you know what's up. Enjoy the update!

Kylo Ren walked down the sidewalk. He expected to see rey sitting outside with her bike as normal. He didn’t see her or her bike. He found it odd, but he wouldn’t be surprised that If after yesterday she didn’t come back. He did stupid things. She tried stopping him from doing stupid things. It had seemed to paralyze her. 

 

He hands were still bandaged but he put in the effort to still bring her coffee.

 

He didn’t know why, other then trying to get her to stay. He just felt it was the right thing to do. 

 

He approached the entrance. He didn’t see her, or that junky bike of her’s. He looked at the lock. 

 

Strangely, it was unlocked. He opened the door with his foot (something he had gotten quite good at over the years) and steps inside. He heard the speakers in the practice room blaring their dance music. He looked in through the window.

 

The girl was in there. She was practicing the half of the dance that she knew. If she messed-up only a tiny bit, she would stop and restart the song. It looked like she was going for perfection. 

 

He was glad he picked this one.

 

He did wonder how long she had been here.

 

He figured that her should stop peeping and just going in there. The dance may look beautiful with one, but you need two to tell a story. 

 

He pushed the door open waiting for her to notice him. She didn’t, she was too absorbed into the music. 

 

“Rey?” He called to no response. 

 

“Hey You!” He tried again. She was still enchanted by the dance.  

 

“REY KRYZE!” He shouted. She lost her balance and she went down. He walked over and looked down on her from above. 

 

“What the kriffing karrablast Ren?! You scared me,” She began.

 

“I’m glad that you are practicing, but seriously what time do you get here? Are you a robot or something?” He joked. He wasn’t very good a joking.

 

“No, I just don’t like being late. I sleep just fine thank you,” She said. Even If the last part was a lie. 

 

She got up of her own accord and took her coffee. 

“I going to assume this is for me,” She pointed to the cup. 

 

“Who else would it be for?” He asked shooting her own sarcasm right back at her. “It’s certainly not for the ghost in the closet.”   

 

“Are you sure you’re feeling okay? Did you go get your hands infected?” She asked sipping her cup. “If you did then then need to be redressed and disinfected now.”

 

“No,” He said. He was shocked and almost glad at her concern. It was nice to have someone worry about him, but if you ask him that he will deny it. “Don’t worry. I didn’t do anything that would get it infected.”

 

“Ok just checking.” She said. Rey wasn’t sure that she quite trusted that, but she figured that she would drop it. “So are we going to practice?” 

 

“Well yes, but we need to discuss something first. My master is coming to meet you tomorrow. This means we need the dance near completed by tomorrow,” He explained. 

 

“What? That’s impossible. We won’t be ready.” Panic began to burrow its way into Rey’s mind. From what little she had heard about snoke her did not seem like the kind of man you wanted to make angry. 

 

“I was thinking that if I teach you want you don’t know now. That after we have dinner at my grandmother’s we can come back here and prac--” 

 

“Wait we?” She asked, She did not remember being invited to dinner. 

 

“My grandmother thinks you are a good person. You will have just gotten off from work and be needing food. I figured you would invite yourself over anyway. As I was saying, we could come back here to practice and perfect the spots. If that is alright with you?” He asked. 

 

Rey thought it over in her head for a minute. Food was promising. Rehearsing was necessary, but sleep was elusive. She had half a mind to decline. 

 

She took another sip of her coffee. “Fine.” She gave it. “But you’re driving, I’m not biking here twice in a day.”

 

“That can be arranged,” He said. “Also you will need a ride here and back tomorrow. I don’t want my master thinking that you are something that the cat dragged in. Can you arrange that?”

 

She sipped more coffee. She thought she could arrange that maybe Finn would be willing to drive her. She thought it might be risky though. She was pretty much working for the enemy. He could even tell Leia. That would be terrible. There would be so many people mad at her.

But she had to take the chance.She didn’t have a car.

 

“I think I can make that happen,” She said. She felt the heat in her hands. She hoped she was right.   

 

“Okay put down the caffeine. We need to go to work.” 

 

“Okay, Chill out I’m going.” She said. 

 

* * *

  
  


Rey nibbled on a section of the candy bar. She got it out of the ancient vending machine that Han kept in the waiting room. She didn’t care though she was starving. She hadn’t eaten much that morning. Just a single egg. She had ran out of bread. She really needed to go shopping. 

 

Did she have money to go shopping just yet? No. 

 

Maybe she could get some leftover from the dinner tonight and make them last until she had the extra money. 

 

Yeah that will work, She told herself.

 

She felt tight everywhere. She hadn’t stretched before practicing this morning and was really regretting it now. 

 

Who was she kidding? How could she keep going like this? She wasn’t going to be able to keep up with this schedule. The bags under her eyes were stuffed full. The only thing keeping her running was the caffeine coursing through her body from earlier. 

 

She woke up late again and hadn’t had the time to do coffee. She was very grateful to Kylo for bringing some.

 

She wasn’t sure what was up with him. He was trying, sure. She hadn’t expected change so quickly though. 

 

Maybe he likes you? She wondered, but shrugged off the idea. He couldn’t like her. Even If she liked his hair. She ran her fingers through her scalp. 

  
She figured it was time to get back to work and joined the boys in the back.

Kylo held his hand to his head looking in the bathroom mirror.

This isn’t a date. Dinner with your grandmother and your dance partner that you more than like is not a date.

Kylo could hear Padme cooking and humming contently. She was making Pesto Alfredo Tortellini. Apparently Rey liked it. Man was he nervous.

He heard a knock at the apartment door. Was She here? 

He listened through the door. Sure enough He heard Padme welcome Rey in. 

“Where is he?” Rey asked.

Padme replied. “He’s in the restroom. Ben!” Padme calls. “Rey is here!”

Kylo internally groans at the mention of Ben. “Coming grandmother,” He calls out. 

He wipes his hand on his pants and places a giant hand on the knob. He takes a breath and turns it. 

His mess of limbs stumble through the door as rey turns to greet him. 

He is in awe. 

Rey’s hair is clearly wet and freshly washed, but even stranger it’s down. 

She wearing a simple worn grey house dress that looks like it has been through several cycles of thrifting, but Rey makes it look like a million bucks. She’s glowing. 

“What what are you staring at?” Rey asks. “Do I have something in my teeth?”

“No, No. Nothing like that,” Kylo snaps to. “I just didn’t recognize you for a minute that’s all.”

“Okay…” Rey trails off. 

“Dinner’s Ready!” Padme hollars.

Rey turns around and Kylo blows out the breath he didn’t know he was holding. It was getting awkward.

Rey helps Padme bring the food over to the small table and sits down to serve herself. 

Kylo sits down beside her and is amazed at the amount that she takes. 

Has she eaten today? He asks himself. He decides that he doesn’t want that answer. 

He takes the serving spoon from the bowl and dishes some pasta out for himself. 

He takes a bite and understands why Rey likes it. He had always liked his grandmother’s cooking, but this was excellent. He’d need to get the recipe someday.

Rey continues to dig into the mountain of pasta. She seems unphased by stare Kylo is giving her. 

Maybe there’s more you don’t know? He asks himself. Remember what she said when you met.

He stops himself. It is none of his business to pry into her life. 

He comes back to Earth when Padme starts talking. 

“How is rehearsal going you two?” 

Rey tries to answer with food in her mouth, which doesn’t work so Kylo talks instead. 

“Very well. We are going to go back to the studio after this and clean up some moves,” He explains. “I’m glad I found a fast learner with such determination.” 

Rey looks confused for a minute. 

Did he just compliment you?

She swallows her food. “Yes things are going as well as can be expected.”

“Good good!” Padme smiles and sips some tea. 

Rey smiles back. 

They both look at Kylo, who tries to smile. The ladies laugh at him and continue to eat.

 

“Steady. Steady. And… Pose,” Kylo murmurs. 

The last chord of the music cuts off and the sweaty pair freezes with a puff of air. The two breath heavily. 

They stay this way for longer than necessary. They realise this and break off. The iphone has already started the next piece. Kylo turns it off. 

“That should suffice for tomorrow,” Kylo says. “You did a great job on jump too, but you need to land it cleaner.”

“Will do Boss,” Rey quips back.

Kylo gives her a look. “And you have a ride for tomorrow?”

“I will.”

“Are you sure?”

“I will.”

“Okay Rey,” Kylo resolves to trusting her. He pulls on his coat. “I have to go get my car from the lot, but then I’ll drive you home. Can you lock up?”

“Yup, go do what you need to do.”

Kylo leaves the room. Rey takes a breath. How am I going to do this?

Kylo is trusting her not to screw up, but what if she does tomorrow? Will he be forced to kick her to the curb?

And you’ll never find out why he’s like this.

She pulls on her coat and picks up her bag. She flicks the lights and locks the door. 

 

Kylo is a good driver. At this point it’s as in his blood as dance. 

Rey is quiet. She’s never this quiet. 

Must be tired Kylo thinks. 

The radio blares the classic rock station. 

One song ends and another begins. 

The classic guitar and Kylo turns off the radio.

“Hey, why’d you turn it off?” Rey asks. She turns it back on and air guitars the solo. 

Kylo is annoyed, but doesn’t turn it off. She’s very into it.

She sings along. He melts a little. Her smile is infectious.

He begins to sing along softly. Rey looks back over at him at shock, but doesn’t stop. 

She wishes she could just stay in this moment, in his car, at this time, but the world keeps moving. If she doesn't move, the world will move without her. 

But it’s a nice thought though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY I STARTED WRITING THIS AGAIN AND I'LL KEEP TRYING BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE THIS THROUGH PLEASE KEEP READING BYEEEEE ~kAF

**Author's Note:**

> hope you liked it! please leave comments or kudos so i know if I'm going in the right direction. May the force be with you!


End file.
